Parknasilla

We were down in Kerry earlier this week. Like last year, we stayed in Parknasilla. It proved a good choice, as the weather wasn't on our side. Low cloud and fog most of the time meant that we couldn't even see the peninsula across the way.

There would have been no point in setting off on long sight-seeing journeys, so we decided to explore the extensive hotel grounds instead - lots of little coves, islands and dense woodland.

We also made use of the pool, with a swim before breakfast every day. Just as well. What a breakfast! Home-made muesli and fruit, poached eggs, grilled tomato, black pudding and nutty brown bread, pain au chocolat, and French toast. Even a soup for lunch was too much! (That didn't stop me, though!) All that followed by delicious dinners. My stomach has doubled in size in 3 days. Fantastic food in the main restaurant. Beware of Fabians, though, their pizza restaurant. We were served 2 dreadful frozen pizzas. If they were not frozen, there was something seriously wrong with them - a biscuity base, lashings of tomato sauce and shredded cheese. It really tasted industrial. The waitress was very apologetic.

Kerry is a long drive from Dublin. Four and a half hours is a long way. We went via Cork - with the motorway, you can make Cork in two and a half hour. The road isn't bad after Cork (at least, it's not as busy as Mitchellstown-Killarney), but it's a long two hours all the same. I still think there should be a motorway between Dublin and Killarney, the capital of tourism in Ireland. But nobody in the Department of Tourism seems to be pushing for this.

We got one of the newly-renovated rooms, on the top floor just above the entrance. Maybe because we were repeat customers? Gorgeous room, large and bright.

Apart from eating, swimming and walking, we didn't do much. I tried a little bit of painting and drawing on the iPad, but more doodles than proper work.